Dance in the Vampire's Blood
by Der Blaue Wolf
Summary: Akira recalls the events that were now 17 years past. The events that led to the proud princess falling once more into the sleep of the dead, but which also led to the young lady who now ran around the princess's palace. MinAkira. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This continues from volume 8 of the manga, and so contains spoilers up to there. That said, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Wolfie-kun/Der Blaue Wolf/Satoru Klein does not own Dance in the Vampire Bund.

Dance in the Vampire's Blood, Ch1

The soldier puffed on his cigarette as he watched the entrance to the island's tunnel. Stuck on duty watching over the entrance to the Bund, he was bored out of his mind. He got the night shift, the dangerous one.

Nobody knew what might try to get out of there at night.

He looked down at the road below him, as a black car drew up to the edge. He hurried down, taking his gun.

"Who's there?" he called out as he ran up to the car.

A man, black-haired and in his late thirties, rolled down the window and looked out at the soldier, raising identification paper.

The soldier stopped short, as he saw the man, "My apologies Regendorf-san."

The man raised the window, and drove forward. A girl in the back of the car raised her head from where she had been sleeping and spoke to him, "Papa, are we nearly there?"

The man nodded, "Yeah, almost, that tunnel was the entrance to the Bund."

The girl, a blonde teenager, her hair pulled into two ponytails, one on each side of her face, smiled, "Good! I can't wait to see Mummy again!" She giggled, revealing two fangs.

The girl's father smiled, baring a plain set of teeth, if perhaps a little sharper than average, "I can't wait either."

The man continued to drive, until he reached a large building, the largest on the man-made island. The man drove right up to the front steps, where a black-haired woman stood waiting.

"Akira-kun," the woman said as the pair stepped out of the car. "I hope your journey was successful."

"Yeah, it went as well as expected Vera," Akira replied.

Vera smiled a little, "And how are you Lady Lucy?"

The girl, Lucy, smiled up at the older lady brightly, "Very well thank you Vera-san."

Vera chuckled, "You are so much politer than your father you know."

"Hey, I'm right here you know," Akira said, slight annoyance in his voice.

Lucy giggled, "Yeah, and being rude as ever Papa."

A sigh escaped Akira's mouth, "Fine, fine. Now Vera, we have things to discuss."

"Very well," the woman replied. "Lucy, why don't you go and see your mother?"

Lucy smiled, "Sure! See you later Papa!" She then dashed up the stairs and into the building.

Vera watched her run, a smile playing about on her face, "Look at her go. Your daughter is quite energetic."

Akira nodded, "I wonder where she gets it from."

"Well, shall we..." Vera motioned after Lucy, and she and Akira started walking after the girl.

When the two got inside, Vera led the way up a few flights of stairs, into a conference room. There, a group of half a dozen vampires sat, along with a trio of werewolves, one sat, the other two stood. When the pair entered, one figure immediately rose, "Akira-kun, Vera-san, good you could join us this evening in person."

Akira glanced at the woman, who looked barely twenty, but who he had known for more years than that, "Indeed Yuki, I managed to complete the negotiations rather faster than I anticipated."

The girl grinned, revealing her two elongated fangs, "So I trust it went as we hoped?"

Akira nodded, "Yes, the prime minister has agreed to our requests. He has stated that he will give us aid in case of another crisis of the like of the Blood War."

Yuki sighed, a little with relief, "Very well, then let us get on with this meeting..."

The pair took their seats, Akira catching his father's eye as he did so. The older werewolf nodded slightly, then both of them turned their attention to Yuki.

"Okay..." Yuki began, "First..."

* * *

><p>It was after the meeting, and Akira stepped out of the room, accompanied by Yuki.<p>

"That went well, not too much arguing for once," Yuki said.

"Yeah..." Akira yawned, "Ah... sorry. Had to come halfway across Japan this evening. Damn the Prime Minister for not coming back from his home for something of that level of importance."

Yuki sighed, "But to him, we aren't of that much importance. We don't exactly do much for Japan any more, not since Hime-sama cleared up their debt. All we really do is take their citizens, and turn them into vampires."

Akira rolled his eyes, "Yeah, but he could still be a bit more cooperative. If some foreign government leader came to Japan to speak on the military with him, the PM would be in Tokyo to greet him, not off on Hokkaido."

Yuki replied "Yes, but we aren't exactly America, especially not at the moment."

Akira nodded, "Oh well... if you don't mind, I would like to go check on my daughter... and my wife."

Yuki nodded, "Well I'll see you later." She turned, and walked down a flight of stairs, while Akira turned in the other direction, and headed upstairs.

As he neared the top, he heard Lucy's voice, "So Mummy, Papa should be out of his meeting soon. I hope so, it's nearly morning, and I'm tired."

Akira reached the room which Lucy's voice came from, and opened the door. Lucy turned in her seat when she heard him come in, and she smiled, "Hi Papa!"

"Hey there Lucy..." he looked at the bed by which she sat, where a blonde woman lay, "and you too, Mina."

The woman on the bed was silent, if you discounted the sounds of the machines whirring by her, keeping her from slipping out of the sleep of the dead. She lay still, except for the rise and fall of her chest, as a machine breathed for her. She had the form of a full-grown woman now, not the little girl she had always been before.

Before Lucy was born.

Akira stepped to the side of the bed, and stroked the woman's hair, "How've you been Mina? Miss me?"

He didn't expect a reply of course. The vampire queen remained as silent as ever.

Lucy yawned next to her father, and Akira looked round at her, "You should go to bed. It's nearly sunrise."

Lucy nodded, "Yes Papa." She stood, and stepped to the door, before turning back, "See you later Papa, Mummy." She then left the room, leaving Akira with his unconscious wife.

He returned his full attention to her, and put his hand to her cheek, gently stroking her pale skin. As he did so, he recalled what had happened to bring the proud vampire to this state...

* * *

><p><em>17 years earlier, 30th August, 2010<em>

Akira sighed as he stood by a fresh grave of a friend. Angie's grave. True the boy had betrayed them, but that didn't make Akira feel any better, and what made it worse was that Akira hadn't killed the friend this time. The blood was on his brother Yuuhi's hands.

It was early evening, the sun had set about half an hour ago. Akira sighed, knowing that he needed to return to work soon, his duty calling him. He turned, and left the graveyard.

When he reached his destination, he saw Vera waiting at the foot of the steps up. She approached him, and spoke, "Akira-kun, the princess has requested that you go up to her rooms immediately."

Akira nodded, and went straight up. He reached the room, and knocked.

"Come in!" he heard from inside. He opened the door, and stepped inside.

Mina was sat on a wooden chair, by a table of the same material, and looked up from what Akira assumed to be a report she was reading when Akira entered, "Ah, Akira, you're here at last."

Akira bowed, "Hime-san, you called for me. I came as soon as I was told."

Mina giggled, "You don't have to be so formal with me." She stood and walked towards him, "After all, you are my knight, right? So I order you to stop being so formal in private."

"If you really want it, Hime-san."

Mina sighed, but gave up trying to push him, "Anyway, I called you here because I received this from Rozenmann a little while ago." She picked up the paper she had been reading, and gave it to Akira, who took it and read it.

_My dear Princess._

_I would like to invite you to a gathering of high-ranking nobles, including Lords Li and Ivanovic. Your presence would be a most honoured addition._

The rest was fancy nonsense, which Akira skimmed through. When he finished, he looked up at the princess, "A trap?"

Mina smiled, "Most likely. But of course, I can't refuse his invitation without a very good reason."

Akira looked again at the letter, "The date is about two months from now. Too long a gap for us to say we you were pre-booked."

Mina nodded, "Yes, very clever of him. He's forcing my hand here. Of course, I shall request that royal security be present. And that includes you, Akira."

Akira nodded, "Of course Hime-san."

Mina continued, "I shall want you to personally guard me at this 'gathering of nobles.' Vera and my maids will also be with us for most of the evening."

Akira nodded, "Is there anything I should prepare in the meantime, Hime-san?"

Mine looked thoughtful for a moment, before saying, "You need only prepare one thing: yourself."

Akira raised an eyebrow at her statement, but then bowed, "As you command, Hime-san."

* * *

><p>AN: So, there's Ch1... now for the usual. Reviews would be appreciated, etc, etc, and I'll try to update soon. 'Til then...

Bis Bald

BW


	2. Chapter 2

Dance in the Vampire's Blood, Ch2

Akira adjusted his tie and shirt for the last time. He had spent most of the last two months trying to prepare for tonight, and had managed fairly well. He looked like any other bodyguard, but had more weapons than most on him. Three pistols concealed in various places, a pair of knives hidden under his arms, and a few stun and smoke grenades for good measure. He was actually finding it a little hard to move with all the weaponry.

He was very glad that, being part of the princess's entourage, he would not have to go through a metal detector on the way in.

He was waiting by the car that would take them to Rozenmann's palace. He looked up at the night sky, wondering whether they would come out of the party in one piece.

"You look troubled, Akira," the princess said, having sneaked up on him, or so she thought.

"You know, Hime-san, I heard you as soon as you stepped out of the hotel."

Mina sighed, "Well I could but try. Now, let us be off."

The entered the car, Akira holding the door for Mina, while Vera climbed in the front to drive. The maids were coming in a separate car, which would follow them.

Vera started the engine, and Mina sat back and surveyed Akira, "So... what is the trouble?"

Akira raised a brow, "I would have thought it would be obvious. This whole business reeks of a trap, and prepared as we are, I still don't like walking into it."

Mina smiled, "Akira, sometimes you have to set off the enemy's trap, in order to lure them into your own."

"As long as this isn't a gamble Hime-san."

Mina grinned, "No, not a gamble in the slightest."

* * *

><p>Akira stood behind the princess, Vera and the maids standing mext to Akira, as she was greeted by Rozenmann.<p>

"Princess, it is an honour," Rozenmann said, a smile on his face that Akira did not trust.

"Of course Lord Rozenmann," the princess replied, as Rozenmann began to lead the group inside.

Akira followed the princess, until he was suddenly gripped by two men, one holding on to each of his arms, both dressed in black suits, clearly Rozenmann's security. "Stop there. Vampires only past here," one of the two said to Akira.

Akira did not resist, but merely said "I am part of the princess's bodyguard. You will let me through."

Mina had noticed, and looked back, "Rozenmann, my bodyguard seems to be being harassed by some of your men."

Rozenmann blanched slightly, though he recovered quickly, "A mistake your majesty. My apologies..." the two men released Akira, who advanced back to his original position, "I instructed them that vampires only would be allowed in. I did not want any humans coming in and... well we know that some here may not be perfectly in control of their urges to feed."

Mina raised an eyebrow, but said nothing to the comment on 'urges' but instead said "It is as well you have corrected their mistake. I would hate to see them suffer Akira's wrath."

Rozenmann raised a brow at that comment. Akira put it down to his not believing a werewolf could beat a vampire... so much for those assasins when the lords last visited.

Vera coughed politely, "We should not keep your other guests waiting, Lord Rozenmann."

The true blood looked at the woman, before slightly nodding his head, "Indeed, you are correct. It would not do at all." He smiled at this point, displaying his fangs.

They continued towards the main hall, where the other guests had gathered. They stepped into the hall, and all the vampires there stopped what they were doing, and turned to the princess and bowed or curtsied. Mina signalled for them to rise, and then the Lords Li and Ivanovic advanced towards Mina.

"Princess, welcome," Li said. Ivanovic remained silent.

"Good evening," Mina said, carefully trying to maintain an impassive demeanour.

The lords continued to make pleasantries with Mina, until the lights in the room dimmed, and Rozenmann smiled, "Ah... now for the main event..."

Akira felt an itch on the back of his neck. The itch grew, and spread throughout his body, so every inch of his skins began to feel it. Then he felt his clothes tighten, as his body bulged. His hand grew into claws, and grew fur, and he knew what was happening. He was transforming.

His clothes burst off, and the weapons he had concealed fell to the ground. Around him, all the vampires were transforming too, even the purebloods. Ivanovic had taken the form of a huge daemon skin red and a goat's head, while Li became a dragon, golden scales glinting in the low-light. Rozenmann looked little different, but felt more powerful, as if his usual shape were his true form, but he had just released his full power. The only visible difference was that his eye-patch was gone, and his eternally shut and scarred eye gazed out blindly.

As for Mina, she was on the floor, clearly in agony. Akira ran to her, and picked her up. She had, either through luck or mere strength of will, managed to maintain her young form, but Akira was sure that she could not maintain her efforts for long.

Vera and the maids, who had also stayed in human form, moved to protect the princess. "What on Earth have you done?" Vera shouted at Rozenmann.

Rozenmann smirked, "We merely brought out an exorcist's chain. It prevents a vampire from maintaining their disguise of a human form, and forces them to reveal their true nature... even the most powerful vampires can only resist it briefly. It also has an effect on werewolves."

As Rozenmann had said, a small chain hung from the centre of the ceiling, with a silver cross hanging on the end.

Akira felt Mina tremble in his arms, then she stopped, and he gritted his teeth as the small weight in his arms became greater and greater, until there was no longer a little girl sitting in his arms, but a full grown woman. Her two wings sprouted from her back, and Akira let her down as she opened her eyes.

Mina glared at Rozenmann, all pretence of her lies now lost, "So somebody told you about me then?"

Rozenmann smiled one of his sadistic smiles, "Oh, well that werewolf boy, Angel or whatever his name was, didn't know that we had bugged him. So princess... now is the time you must choose... who will be your mate?"

The three lords all smirked, each hopeful, and sure of themselves. Mina looked slightly taken aback, but then returned the smirk, "Listen, all of you here. I ask all already wed men and all the women to leave the room."

The vampires looked confusedly at each other, but obeyed, as they were blood-bound, including all the maids and Vera, although they stayed by the door watching. Akira and the remaining few dozen noble males all looked at Mina with curiosity in their gazes.

"I will marry whichever male is the last standing in this room!" Mina proclaimed loudly and clearly.

There was a moment of hush, and then madness decended upon the room. The vampires turned on each other in an instant. The lower ranking nobles had, for the most part, begun to brawl, while some of the more powerful ones had grouped together with the common aim of defeating Rozenmann, the greatest perceived threat. Li and Ivanovic had imediately turned on each other, and were now attacking with their full strength.

Akira watched the bloodbath before him, then Mina looked at him, "When did I say the last male _vampire _left standing?"

Akira blinked, then understood what she had meant earlier:

_"No, not a gamble in the slightest."_

Akira nodded, "As her majesty wishes."

He looked back to the fight. Several of the vampires who had attacked Rozenmann had already been killed, or at least were unconscious on the floor. The maids, at Vera's direction, had set about removing the wounded from the room, as other nobles outside tended to their friends, the effects of the chain not reaching them, and those outside having returned to their humanoid forms.

Li and Ivanovic were still dueling, though both had already suffered dozens of wounds, and Li had a gash in his neck, which looked as if it would kill him if it went untreated. Ivanovic looked top be in little better shape, as his left arm from the shoulder down lay in a bloddy puddle nearby.

As for Rozenmann, he seemed to be fighting comfortably without even breaking a sweat against the group who had attacked him. He had pulled out a gun, and was simply shooting one after another with deadly accuracy. His gun clicked as her pulled the trigger again, out of bullets in the magazine. He reached behind him to pull out another magazine, but then felt claws slash along his arm.

Rozenmann turned to see Akira, with blood on his claws, only a few inches behind him. Rozenmann leaped back, and narrowly avoided the werewolf's claws. When he landed however, the other vampires attacked him, forcing him to leap away again, back towards the werewolf. Unable to reload his gun, and unable to get the time to make any form of attack at close range, he just kept dodging, until finally, Rozenmann got unlucky.

It was one of Akira's slashes that caught him across the chest as he was about to leap backwards. He landed and winced, but was then set upon by the other vampires. He took a few blows, before punching back at each of them, every punch connecting and throwing another vampire into a wall. When he had thrown them all off, he stood tall and glared at Akira, who leaped again at Rozenmann, swiping with a claw. Rozenmann ducked and countered, his fist making contact with Akira's chest, and sending the werewolf flying a few feet.

Akira landed on all fours, then noticed a black object rolling next to him. A smoke grenade. He grabbed it, and primed it with a claw, before hurling it a Rozenmann. It went off right in front of Rozenmann's face, clouding his vision, and Akira leaped once more at him.

Akira's slash with his claw landed a direct blow across the vampire's neck, and the pureblood stumbled slightly, before looking back at Akira defiantly. Behind Akira, a pair of crashes signalled the end of Ivanovic and Li's duel, as both fell unconscious to the ground.

Rozenmann glared loosing his composure for once, "You... how could a werewolf...?"

"You forgot, the exorcist's chain only forces werewolves to take on their true form. In the case of a vampire, it has a much greater affect, weakening them greatly as they get closer," Mina said.

Rozenmann looked up, and saw that the chain was almost right above him, but was slightly forward, just above Akira.

Akira saw it too, and saw his chance. He leaped once more, but this time up towards the ceiling, grabbing the chain. He winced as his hand made contact with the silver chain, but her landed quickly, and held it up to Rozenmann, who flinched away, staring at it, with a hint of fear in his eyes. His blood still dripping out of his throat, and the cross weakening him combined, forcing the vampire lord to his knees, and he collapsed to the floor.

As soon as the vampire was down, Akira released the cross, and fell to his knees too, but a pair of arms caught him before he completely collapsed. The soft arms pressed him to a warm body, and Mina whispered in his ear, "Sleep now Akira."

He did as ordered, as his exhaustion overtook him, darkness enveloped him, and he fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Bis Bald<p>

BW


	3. Chapter 3

Dance in the Vampire's Blood, Ch3

Akira woke with a start, and sat up instantly alert. He looked to his right when he heard somebody giggle. At first, he did not recognise the blond figure who sat by his bedside, then he realised who it was.

It was Mina, but not as he had ever seen her before. She was neither in the form of a child, nor was she in her adult body, but somewhere in-between the two, looking to be about 17, about Akira's age. Her hair was out of its childish pigtails, and flowed down her back and her long black dress. She was a fair bit taller than her childish form, but still a little shorter than her adult form.

"Surprised Akira?" Mina asked, still giggling a little.

"Hime-san...? Wh-why are you like that?" Akira didn't quite know what it was, but Mina looked rather more attractive like this than in either of her other forms, maybe because she looked to be so very close to Akira's own age.

"Oh come now Akira, do you really think that even with a vampire's slow ageing that I would still look like a ten year old if left to age normally after however many decades it's been? I had to suppress my ageing, and maintain a more youthful appearance. I'm a pure-blood, it was well within my abilities."

Akira shook his head slightly, "I suppose that makes some sense, but speaking of true bloods..."

Mina smirked, "Don't worry about them ever again. Li and Ivanovic both died from the wounds they inflicted on each other, and while you did give Rozenmann a good beating, he did survive, but he's no threat either. We tied the exorcist's chain around his neck before imprisoning him. He's now completely powerless, and we've chained him up in the deepest prison in the bund. He's been incarcerated since yesterday."

Akira took in what she just said with shock, "How long... have I been out for then?"

Mina frowned, "Well, on and off for three days and nights, but you've been waking for brief periods all the time. I'm surprised you don't remember at all."

Akira shook his head, "Nothing since I collapsed..." then he recalled all the events prior to his collapse, "S-so... are we...?" He looked sheepishly at the princess.

She smiled, "Yes, we're engaged. It's already been announced to the public. Most of the population of the bund has either expressed support or apathy towards it."

Akira smiled, "So... would now be a good time to give up the pretending?"

Mina tilted her head slightly and smirked, "What 'pretending' would that be?"

Akira reached out his hand and stroked the princess's cheek, "This one..." he leaned forwards, as did she, and they kissed.

* * *

><p>It was not until the next night that Mina allowed Akira to leave his bed, telling him he had not fully healed. He shrugged it off, and kept telling her that he was fine, but she insisted. When she finally did permit him to leave, it was only so long as he stayed with her.<p>

He was currently sat in her bedroom, with her getting changed behind a screen. She spoke to him as she changed, "It's a pain, most of my clothes don't fit me like this."

Akira chuckled, "Well you did put on seven years. If you hadn't grown at least a foot I'd be worried."

Mina giggled at his comment, "Not to mention a few pounds."

Akira thought carefully for a moment before answering, "Well, I doubt you've put on that much weight. You're still probablly light enough for me to carry."

Mina stepped out from behind the screen, a light blush covering her cheeks, "I... I'm not that small!"

Akira stepped up to her, and patted her head, "Yes you are, you're my little Mina."

The blush on her cheeks intensified, then suddenly, she looked up at him, "Y-you called me Mina..."

Akira realised what he had done, and scratched the back of his head, "W-well... if we're going to get married... you know... at least in private... I thought I should... ya'know."

Mina smiled, "Okay... but in public remember to keep up our old act."

Akira nodded, "As you want, Hime-san."

Mina glared, "I said in _public_! When we're alone, I expressly forbid you to call me anything other than Mina!"

"What about 'Darling?'" Akira asked, with merriment on his face.

Mina flushed, but then regained her composure and replied, "Only if I can call you it too, Darling."

Akira blanched, "All right _Darling_, if you really want."

"Of course _Darling_, it's fine by me."

"Very good, _Darling_."

"Indeed, _Darling_."

The pair looked at each other, then both burst out laughing. Akira was the first to recover, "Okay... okay... let's be serious."

Mina smiled, "Who said I wasn't being serious, D-ar-lin-g?"

Akira smiled back, and would have retorted, if a knock had not interrupted them. Mina looked to the door, and called "Enter!"

The door opened, and Yuki stepped inside. In the two months since she had been attacked, she had recovered completely, and had got back to her writing. Although it had been nice of the maids to assist while Yuki was still incapable of speaking, by the time they tried to find a board with every known Kanji for a single new name, they had given up.

"Hime-sama, Akira-kun... congratulations!" she burst out on stepping into the room.

Mina gave Yuki a warm smile, "Thank you Yuki."

Yuki returned the smile, then looked to Akira, "Should you be up and about Akira? I heard you were in a bad way."

"As I keep telling him Yuki-chan, but no, he won't listen to me. He's going to worry his future wife to death at this rate. Can you think of a way to make him rest Yuki?" Mina asked, and Akira gave her a slight glare.

"We~ll, I can think of one thing, Hime-sama," Yuki went over to the princess, and whispered in her ear.

Mina turned bright red at whatever Yuki had said, and looked at the girl with consternation in her face. "Y-you... mean...?"

Yuki nodded, "Well... I must get on I'm afraid. My parents always worry when I'm out late, even when I tell them I'm with the princess, and under heavy guard."

Akira raised an eyebrow, "You tell them that you're with the princess of the vampires, and guarded by a group of werewolves... in their shoes, I think I'd be a little worried too."

Yuki sighed, "Well... they know I'll be fine, they even met Hime-sama once briefly. They know she wouldn't hurt a fly."

Akira chuckled, "A fly, no, anybody who threatens her friends or kingdom, yes."

Mina glared, "Says you." She lunged at Akira and tried to swipe him on the head.

Akira dodged back, and, laughing, continued to dodge backwards, as Mina made repeated attempts to hit him. Eventually, she tripped, and Akira jumped forwards and caught her in his arms.

Yuki laughed at the bemusement on the princess's face, then smiled at the pair, "Well, I must be getting on. Take care both of you, and don't fight too much." She left, and the couple looked at each other.

"So..." Akira eventually said after a short staring contest, "...what did Yuki tell you to do to make me obey you?"

Mina blushed scarlet, and looked away, before mumbling something.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that," Akira said, a smirk on his face.

Mina glared at him. "She told me to withhold sex!" she shouted at him.

Akira stared for a moment, and then started laughing.

"Akira-kun..." Mina stared at him as he laughed, then giggled a little herself. The giggle turned into a full-blown laugh, and the pair just sat there, with Akira still holding the princess gently, laughing loudly.

When they had both stopped and got their breath back, Akira spoke, "You know... this is the first time we've..." he trailed off.

"We've what?" the vampire asked.

"...been able to just enjoy our time together. No plots to kill you, no death, no lords trying to take you away... it's just so... calm, quiet... and I like it..." Akira blushed, conscious of what he had said sounding a little strange.

"I love you Akira."

Akira blinked when he heard the princess say that. Though often felt, and known to both, neither had ever had a chance to express their feelings to the other, and now she had told him hers out of the blue.

He hugged her closer, so their faces were merely an inch apart, "I love you too... Mina."

They kissed. Their second kiss, but unlike the earlier one, which had been brief, over quickly, this one was long, and their lips moved against each other. Akira's tongue was the first to move, demanding entrance to Mina's mouth. She opened her mouth a fraction, and their tongues met and battled for dominance, neither wanting to concede.

Akira gently picked up the princess, who had wrapped her legs around his waist, and carried her over to the bed. He lay her down gently as their lips parted, and got on top of her, straddling her waist.

Their lips met again, and the unresolved conflict of tongues began again, as Akira's hand moved down to Mina's dress hem, raising it up slowly, while Mina's hands reached under Akira's shirt.

"Hime-samas!" the door to the room was hurriedly thrown open, and the two on the bed imediately moved apart as fast as they could. Vera, who stood in doorway stuttered as she continued, "M-my ap-p-pologies, Hime-sama, but this is urgent."

Mina looked over to Vera, trying to adjust her dress subtly, "What happened?"

Vera looked terrified as she spoke, "The pied piper is running wild!"

Mina's eyes were wide when she heard what Vera had said, and she imediately dashed for the door. Akira was only a pace behind.

* * *

><p>AN: Wooh! Cliffy... um... that's it. If you have any (constructive) thoughts, please gimme a review. Er... that's it. Next chapter when I get round to it.


	4. Chapter 4

Dance in the Vampire's Blood, Ch4

Akira and Mina were led into a conference room, where Akira's father among others stood watching screens set in the wall. The screens showed footage of rampages across the Bund, with groups fighting in the street.

"What's the situation?" Mina asked as she entered.

Wolfgang responded, "About 3% of the Bund's population started grouping together in various locations about 30 minutes ago, for no obvious reason. Shortly thereafter, they suddenly started moving through the Bund, attacking all those who got in their way."

Mina gritted her teeth, "Are we certain it's pied piper?"

Wolfgang nodded, "If you listen..." he pressed a button on a remote, and the sound that went with the images turned on.

"For the princess!"

"By the princess's order!"

"For Princess Mina!"

Mina's eyes widened, and she paled. "They think... I ordered this..."

Wolfgang nodded silently, "It could only be the pied piper."

Mina was shaking slightly, but spoke, "Take the Beowulfs, and do what you have to to stop them. Only kill if absolutely necessary... but if you have to for the sake of stopping this, you may."

Wolfgang nodded, and left, followed by the Werewolves among the group. Akira remained with Mina, and has father gave him a look, catching Akira's eye as he passed. The look was stern, but there may have been a little softness in it too.

Once they had left, those vampire there started to leave too, having business to attend to. Mina just stood there quivering. When it was just her and Akira in the room, Vera having left to give the pair some space, Mina teared up. Akira took her in his arms quickly, and pressed her to him. "It's all right Mina... It's not your fault."

She looked up at him, with a slight craze in her arms, "It's all right? I've just consigned thousands of innocents to death!"

Akira hugged her tighter, "I know. But you had no choice... it was that, or let more innocents die."

Mina still cried against Akira's chest. Until Akira's grip suddenly loosened, "M-Mina... this is bad!"

Mina looked up, and saw he was staring at the screen. She turned to see what he was staring at.

On the screen, there was a car surrounded by the crazed vampires. In the car were two women, one a grown woman, one of the drivers for Mina, dead in the driving seat.

The other was Yuki.

* * *

><p>Akira ran through the streets towards where the car carrying his friend had been. He was in werewolf form, and leaped over wreckages and the dead in the street. He saw a large group of vampires ahead, swarming the car that he was looking for.<p>

When the vampires heard him approach, they turned to him, and some broke away from the car to attack him. Akira snarled and charged at them. Mina had told him to try to avoid killing them, but for the sake of Yuki's safety, he would kill any that he had to.

Like a man, or wolf, possessed, he attacked with little mercy, his claws cutting through dozens of the vampires. But there were countless many of them, and he was slowly being overwhelmed. He stood his ground however, as they swarmed around him.

It was just as he felt himself begin to falter that he heard a car coming from behind. The vampires attacking it seemed to hear it too through their frenzy, and some ceased their assault on Akira, turning to where a black car sped towards them.

Akira managed to break away as the strength of their attack waned. Once he was away a little distance, he turned to look at the car. It was one of the princess's and Vera was at the wheel. In the back, Akira caught sight of the maid team.

In the passenger seat was Mina.

Akira smirked as the car swerved to a halt, and the group got out, Vera and the maids moving immediately to attack the hoard of rogue vampires. Mina quickly ran over to Akira.

"Akira, the cavalry's here," she said, with a little smile on her lips.

"About time too," Akira replied. "Who's going to go to get Yuki?"

Mina giggled, "Isn't it obvious..." her figure suddenly began to change, and she assumed her true form, her wings spreading wide, "I'll airlift her out."

Akira nodded, "Just be careful."

Mina flapped her wings, and flew over to hover just above the car, while Akira ran to attack the vampires still swarming near it, as the maids and Vera shot at them with their various guns.

The vampires were distracted, and, momentarily, their attention was drawn away from the car, and Mina took her chance, flying down, and landing on the front of the car. She opened the sunroof, and reached in. Yuki quickly grabbed onto her hand, and Mina pulled her from the car, quickly starting to fly away.

Akira fought the vampires madly, until he saw Mina flying overhead, with Yuki clinging on in fright. As the pair landed by the princess' car, he broke away, and ran towards them. The maids were also retreating, and they all quickly got into the car, slightly cramped though they were. Vera quickly started the car up, as the vampires chasing them were left behind.

"We... got away..." Akira said, panting.

Mina nodded, "Somehow."

The pair looked at each other and started laughing. Yuki joined in, and their laughs filled the car. Their laughter was cut short, however, when they passed into an open area of the bund. Around them were the remains of countless vampires, turning to dust as they watched. The wreckage around them brought immediate silence to the car.

"We need to resolve this, and quickly," Mina said, quietly.

"But if they keep going until sunrise, lots of the vampires will be caught in the sunlight," Akira pointed out. "If they stay out, they're going to die. Harsh as that is, that will solve the problem."

Mina nodded, "Yes, but there are plenty of underground areas that they could still be running round."

Akira sighed, "Well there's not an awful lot we can do until we find out who's controlling them. It does strike me as odd, given the three lords are gone..."

"Who could have taken control?" Mina finished.

"Exactly," Akira replied, "It seems... unlikely that their factions regrouped that quickly after losing their leaders. Certainly not enough to begin this kind of operation."

"So what are you saying Akira? Somebody else is behind this?" Mina queried.

"It's merely a suggestion, but if Pied Piper leaked to the lords..."

"It could well have reached other's hands... that is sound enough logic. First let us return home."

The car continued on towards Mina's palace.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for the delay on this. Now I've finally got around to updating this though... phew. Just as an end note, reviews are wonderful, you know that they are, so click on that little button down there, and write something in the box that appears. Go on, you know you want to.

Bis Bald

BW


End file.
